The invention relates to an apparatus for joining at least two sheet-metal plates by means of a weld seam which is produced by a laser beam welding device.
A device for the mechanical trimming of the ends of strips of sheet metal is previously known as described in EP-OS 0 151 848, which strips are subsequently welded together by means of a laser beam welding device. This device is only suitable for welding strip ends of sheet-metal coils together. It is not possible by use of such a device to weld together sheet-metal plates of differing geometric form and/or differing thickness, as is required, for example, in bodywork construction for the automotive industry.